The first of a series about the Greek island of Delos.
Delos is the reason the Cyclades have their name. The other islands in the Cyclades form a circle around Delos. Delos is a sacred island and the reason for that is Zeus.
Leto was a Titan goddess in Greek mythology, daughter of Coeus and Phoebe. Leto was a lover of Zeus and became pregnant by him. However, Zeus married Hera while Leto was still pregnant. Although the pregnancy started before the marriage, Hera was still jealous of Leto. Hera pushed Leto out of Olympus and as she wandered the earth no one would help her because they knew that doing so would offend Hera. Hera also had the dragon Python chase Leto, but Zeus saved her by sending the North Wind, Boreas, to carry Leto out to sea where the island of Delos allowed her to stay.
The other goddesses, apart from Hera, gathered on Delos to help Leto during the labour. Hera managed to detain Eileithyia, goddess of childbirth, but Iris, the messenger of the gods and goddess of the rainbow, eventually succeeded in bringing Eileithyia to the island. Leto first gave birth to Artemis, and after another nine days of labour, to Apollo
Thus, the island of Delos became sacred.
Julian Worker Fiction Writing 